Packaging apparatus

ABSTRACT

Packaging apparatus comprises an intermittently moving conveyor mounting a succession of open top open side trays each containing a stack of packages and a carton filling station where a reciprocable pusher is actuated in synchronism with the conveyor to push the stack of packages into an aligned carton. The package stack in each receptacle is tamped and compacted to a lesser effective height particularly along the front and rear side edges prior to moving that receptacle into the filling station for facilitating entry of the stack into a carton and ensuring proper closure of the carton end flaps.

United States Patent Clancy [4 1 July 25, 1972 s41 PACKAGING APPARATUS 3,269,091 8/l966 Martin .53/124 0 x [72] Inventor: David Clancy, Canaan. Conn. Primary Emmm" .rmvis s. McGeh [73] Assignee: Colgate-Palmolive Company, New York, A y-S r m la Neale. s & Kurt 57 ABSTRACT [22] Filed: July 13, I970 I 1 Appl. No.: 54,24!

Packaging apparatus comprises an intermittently moving conveyor mounting a succession of open top open side trays each containing a stack of packages and a carton filling station where a reciprocable pusher is actuated in synchronism with the conveyor to push the stack of packages into an aligned carton. The package stack in each receptacle is tamped and compacted to a lesser effective height particularly along the front and rear side edges prior to moving that receptacle into the filling station for facilitating entry of the stack into a carton and ensuring proper closure of the carton end flaps.

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AT TOR/V575 PACKAGING APPARATUS This invention relates to packaging apparatus and more particularly to apparatus for efficient automatic insertion of a group of envelope-type complete packages into a carton or the like.

The invention will be particularly described in the embodiment wherein it is employed for thrusting a stack containing a predetermined number of such packages into the open end of an aligned canon. These packages are for example of the type wherein a heat sealed moisture proof envelope sealingly encloses a moist folded towelette, produced in a machine as disclosed in Clancy U.S. Pat. No. 3,481,099.

At present these envelope type packages as they come from the machine are loosely stacked in an open-sided tray which is aligned with the open end of a canon, and a pusher thrusts the stack into the carton. Some difliculty has been encountered due to the fact that at least some of the packages may bulge intermediate their sealed peripheries so that the overall height of a stack may be greater than the corresponding dimension of the carton open end, which results in jamming of the packages in the carton packing line.

It has been found that suitable compression of the stack height, as by applying a firm downward pressure on the loose stack will compact and reduce the overall height of the stack sufficiently and for a sufficient time to enable the stack to be thrust into the carton without difficulty, and this is a major object of the invention.

Another object of the invention is to provide in packing apparatus of the type wherein an open sided tray containing a stacked predetermined number of envelope-type packages is brought into alignment with the open end of a canon, one or more devices for vertically compressing the stack prior to thrusting the stack into the carton.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved apparatus wherein the stack edges are additionally compressed and bent to ensure proper entries of the carton closure flaps.

Furthermore specific objects of the invention will appear, notably in connection with the specific reciprocable tamping pad and associated structure for accomplishing the foregoing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. I is a fragmentary side elevation partially broken away and in section, showing apparatus of the invention according to one embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a vertical section substantially on line 3-3 of FIG.

FIGS. 4 and 5 are side and front views of a carton to be filled with packages according to the invention;

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing a dual envelope package;

FIG. 7 is a side view of the package of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of a tamping pad;

FIG. 9 is a side elevation of the tamping pad of FIG. 8;

FIG. [0 is a fragmentary end elevation showing how the tamping pad acts on the package stack in the apparatus of FIG. I;

FIG. I1 is a top plan view similar to FIG. 2 showing a further embodiment of the apparatus;

FIG. I 1A is a side elevation showing a ramped rail;

FIG. 12 is a vertical section substantially like FIG. 3 but taken through the apparatus of FIG. 11; and

FIG. 13A and I38 show the tamping action in the apparatus of FIGS. I1 and 12.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The invention relates to apparatus for the automatic insertion of relatively small substantially flat envelope-type packages into a carton.

In its preferred embodiments the invention is concerned with apparatus for inserting a stack of preformed packages moving along one conveyor into the open end of a carton moving along the same or a second synchronized conveyor.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show the type of package 11 with which the invention is primarily concerned. Package 11 comprises a dual envelope package consisting of individual sealed envelopes l2 and 13 that are attached by a perforated line region I. These envelopes are of the type having laminated paper, foil and plastic walls that are heat sealed all around the periphery. Bach envelope encloses a folded wet sheet of moisture absorbent material, and may be of the type disclosed in Williams U.S. Pat. No. 3,057,467. The packages may by automatically formed in automatic machinery such as disclosed in said Clancy U.S. Pat. No. 3,481,099 wherein two successive attached envelopes are simultaneously filled and sealed.

As shown particularly in FIG. 7 it will be seen that each package is reduced during forming and closing to substantially dual sheet thicknea in the envelope border regions indicated at 15 due to compression by the heat sealing forms, whereas the intermediate envelope portions surrounded by the border regions may remain in different stages of inflated or bulging thicker condition.

As shown in FIG. 1, the dual envelope packages II as taken directly from the package forming machine (not shown) are placed in stacks 16 each containing a predetermined number of loosely superposed packages 11 within successive spaced receptacles such as trays 17 secured to sections 18 of a flexible sectional conveyor belt 19. The conveyor sections are hinged together at 21. Conveyor 19 moves from right to left in FIG. I.

Trays 17 are U-shaped in cross section and are open at the top and at both sides. Conveyor belt I9 is intermittently moved by a suitable mechanism (not shown), each movement being equal substantially to the distance shown in FIG. I at d for a purpose to appear.

In apparatus prior to the invention, intermittent movement of belt 19 located each tray in succession in alignment with the open end of a carton C at a carton fill station, and a pusher plate 22 carried by a rod 23 periodically reciprocated in synchronism with the movement of belt I9 by a suitable mechanism (not shown) is displaced from the dotted line position shown in FIG. 2 to move laterally through the tray 17 and bodily displace stack 16 from the tray into carton C.

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate a carton C having an open depending front closure flap F and an upwardly extending rear closure flap R. FIG. 3 shows the carton in filling position.

In practice a fresh carton C may be located on its side (FIG. 3) in transverse alignment with the tray I7 at the pusher station by any suitable means such as a conveyor 24 carrying successive cartons disposed on their sides with their open ends facing trays l7 and separated from each other as by spacers 25. The rearmost surface of the moving canon may slide along a smooth backing wall 26 that prevents displacement of the carton during the pusher operation.

Instead of a separate conveyor 24 the cartons may be carried by a lateral extension of conveyor belt 19, or they may be otherwise introduced into the apparatus, in any event so that a filled carton is removed and a fresh empty carton is disposed in alignment with the pusher plate in proper timing with arrival of a fresh stack 16 at the pusher station.

The foregoing apparatus has been used for some time, but certain difficulties and problems have been encountered which have been solved by the present invention.

In practice eleven dual envelope packages may be disposed in each stack l6, and it has been found that often the vertical height of the stack was greater than the vertical dimension 1: (FIG. 3) of the carton open end, so that when the pusher was operated very often the entire stack would not enter the carton and in some cases the top one or two packages ll would jam or merely pass over the top of the front edge so that too few packages were inserted into the carton. Furthermore problems were encountered in closing the carton top and bottom flaps which have been solved in the present invention.

The invention eliminates the foregoing problems by recognition of the fact that each package of the stack 16 may be compressible, and pressure is applied to effectively and selectively reduce the vertical height of the stack sufficiently to carry out the carton filling and closing operations efficiently.

A parallel pair of posts 31 and 32 stand upright from the stationary machine frame 33 at one side of belt 19. A horizontal plate 34 is formed with guide openings containing bushings 35 and 36 slidably mounting plate 34 on the respective posts. Rigid with plate 34 are two depending rods 37 and 38 carrying on their lower ends fixed tamping pads 39 and 41 respectively. As will appear, suitable means is provided for periodically shifting pads 39 and 41 as a unit between the raised dotted line inactive position and the lower full line stack compression position in FIG. 1.

As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, each pad is rectangular and of about the same size and extent as a package 11. Moreover each pad is formed on its bottom with parallel longitudinal depending rims 42 and 43 that when the pad is moved from the dotted line position of FIG. 1 to the full line position of FIG. 1 engage the top of stack 16 along both the upper side edge region.

As a result the entire stack 16 is compressed to a lesser vertical thickness within the tray, as shown in FIG. I, from the loose height h shown in the tray 17 at the right hand end of FIG. 1, which may be greater than h, to the height h shown in the next tray to the lefl in FIG. 1 which is definitely materially less than the canon opening height at h. In the invention each stack 16 is similarly compressed by tamping prior to entering the carton fill station.

As shown in FIG. I, belt 19 advances to left periodically the distance of one tray 17 to successively place a tray carrying a compressed stack l6 in alignment with pusher plate 22 and an open mouthed carton C. Actually as shown each stack may be subjected to two successive compressions at two different positions of the tray, the first by pad 41 and the second by pad 39, before entering the canon fill station. There will be some tendency for the stack to reexpand a small amount vertically because of the inherent resilient properties of the individual packages but this expansion is not material in the short time that it takes a tray to enter the canon fill station and the pusher to thrust the stack into the carton.

The apparatus operation is so timed that the pusher stroke to displace stack into a carton takes place during a dwell period wherein stack tamping is being effected.

The longitudinally ribbed plate 39 is peculiarly eflective in the combination in that rib 43 which engages the top of stack 16 along the entire edge near the open carton mouth more positively and strongly compresses the stack, so that this edge of the stack which will first enter the carton mouth will be of minimum height. Actually referring to FIGS. 3 and 10, rib 43 provides an effective downwardly inclined upper edge region along the stack that facilitates entry of the stack into the carton. The simultaneous outer side edge compression of rib 42 provides a balanced action preventing nonuniform compression of the stack or tilting of the individual packages, and it also provides an effective downwardly inclined upper edge region along the stack that facilitates the closing action of the forward carton flap as it swings up from the position shown in FIG. 4.

Periodic vertical movement of the plate 34 in synchronism with the intermittent advancement of belt 19 is effected by reciprocable crank 44 having its upper end 45 formed to be rotatably mounted on a pivot pin 46. The lower end of crank 44 is pivoted eccentrically at 47 to a disk 48 on a shah 49 continuously driven from a gear box 51 connected to a suitable source of power (not shown).

Thus, in the invention, a loosely piled stack 16 containing a predetermined number, say ll dual envelope packages 11, is twice subjected to overall vertical compression and deeper edge compression before entering the usual pusher station. In some embodiments, a single compression stroke may be adequate in which case only one pad 39 or 41 need be provided. The pads 39 and/or 41 are moved to the dotted line inactive position in FIG. 1 while the belt 19 is advancing a distance d, and moved to the full line tamping position during the dwell periods of the belt while the pusher is thrusting a stack into the aligned carton. The periodic movement of tamping pads 39 and 41 is synchronized with the intermittent movement of belt 19, so that each thrust of pusher plate 22 displaces a uniform height stack of packages from a tray into a carton.

While the invention has been described for the packing of dual envelope packages into a carton, it can be used in packing single envelope or multi-envelope packages into corresponding cartons.

FIGS. 11, 12, 13A and show a further embodiment wherein the same reference numerals indicate like parts.

In this embodiment belt sections [8 and the trays 17 on belt 19 are of less width than in FIGS. 1-10, and at opposite sides of the belt are mounted parallel rails 51 and 52 fixed on the frame 33. As shown in FIGS. 1 l and 12 the package stacks are wider than the trays and (FIG. 12) the inner and outer edges of the stacks extend over the rails a the stacks move from right to left in FIG. ll. As shown for rail 51 in FIG. [1A each rail preferably has an inclined ramp 53 at the right end, whereby the moving package edges will gradually rise to a uniform horizontal level 54 that is higher than the tray bottom 55 as shown in FIG. 13A.

Thus just before they enter the first compression station below pad 41, each stack 16 has its front and rear side edges elevated above the level of the bottom of U-shaped tray l7, essentially as shown in FIG. 13A. FIG. 13A also shows the disposition of parts as the pad 41 is starting descent to compress the stack.

FIG. 13B illustrates compression of the stack 16 by each pad. Besides the reduction of the overall height of the stack, each side edge of the stack is additionally subjected to compression and bending, at the front between rib 42 and rail 51 and at the rear between rib 43 and rail 52, with the result that at both front and rear each package is compressed and bent to further reduced height as diagrammatically shown in FIG. 135. The upper and lower stack side edges at the rear thus converge toward each other, and the upper and lower side edges at the front also converge toward each other, and while the stack is in substantially this condition the stack is pushed by pusher 22 into the open carton.

It has been found that the foregoing edge compression and bending of the stack not only facilitates entry into the carton, but it insures that when both the forward and rear flaps are closed they enter the carton ends cleanly and smoothly between the inner surface of the carton side wall and the top (or bottom) of the stack.

Suitable mechanism (not shown) for closing the flaps F and R is provided adjacent the pusher station, but this mechanism is not part of the invention.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent 1. Packaging apparatus of the type wherein a vertical stack of envelope-type packages is aligned with the open end of a carton and the stack is thrust as a unit into the carton, each package having a sealed periphery, characterized by means for reducing the effective height of the stack and bending the sealed peripheries of the top and bottom envelopes at the edges that first enter the carton toward each other prior to the stack being thrust into the carton.

2. Packaging apparatus as defined in claim I, wherein said stack is disposed in an open top receptacle and said height reducing means comprises a reciprocable tamping pad adapted to descend into the open top of the receptacle, characterized by means raised above the bottom of said receptacle at the side of said receptacle adjacent said open end of the carton and cooperating means projecting downwardly from said pad for bending the edges of said top and bottom envelopes toward each other upon descent of the tamping pad.

3. Packaging apparatus comprising a conveyor having means for mounting a spaced succession of stacks of envelope-type packages therealong, each package having a sealed periphery, a carton filling station having a reciprocable pusher, means for disposing open cartons in succession at said station, means for intermittently moving said conveyor to dispose each said stack in succession at said station in alignment between the pusher and the carton at the station, and means periodically actuated in synchronism with said conveyor for compacting each stack to a lesser effective height and bending the peripheries of the top and bottom envelopes at the front edges that first enter the carton toward each other prior to moving the stack into the carton filling station.

4. Packaging apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein said compacting means comprises a tamping member adapted to be reciprocated between an upper inactive position while the conveyor is moving and a lower stack tamping position during a dwell period of the conveyor, raised means positioned to underlie the edge of the bottom envelope and depending means on the tamping member adapted to engage the edge of the top envelope.

5. Packaging apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein said tamping movement of said member takes place during a carton fill operation of said pusher.

6. Packaging apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein said compacting means comprises a vertically reciprocable pad having a depending rib for engaging and downwardly bending the uppermost package of the stack along its rear upper side edgev 7. Packaging apparatus as defined in claim I, wherein said means for reducing the effective height of the stack also includes means for at the same time bending the sealed peripheries of the top and bottom envelopes toward each other at the edges that last enter the canon.

8. Packaging apparatus comprising a conveyor having means for mounting a spaced succession of stacks of envelope-type packages therealong, a carton filling station, means for disposing open cartons in succession at said station, means for intermittently moving said conveyor to dispose each said stack in succession at said station in alignment with a carton at the station, means at said station for displacing a stack from the conveyor into an aligned carton, and means periodically actuated in synchronism with movement of said conveyor for compacting each stack to a lesser effective height to facilitate entry into a carton comprising cooperating members relatively movable toward each other in a direction normal to conveyor movement for engaging the top and bottom envelopes at the front edges that first enter the carton for bending said edges toward each other prior to moving the stack into an aligned carton, said members being oppositely relatively moved before the stack is displaced into the carton.

9. Packaging apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein said means for reducing the effective height of the stack also includes means for at the same time bending the sealed peripheries of the top and bottom envelopes toward each other at the edges that last enter the carton.

10. Packaging apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein said tamping member is slidably mounted for vertical reciprocation, and an eccentric and crank mechanism is connected for controlled reciprocation of said member.

11. Packaging apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein said member is a pad that has depending side edge ribs engaging opposite side edge regions of the stack during each compression stroke.

12. Packaging apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein said stacks are mounted in open top open side receptacles along the conveyor and wherein said compacting means is disposed in a compacting station where a rail extends along and at a higher level than the compartment bottom for underlying and upwardly bending the edge of the bottom envelope at said com actin station.

I Pac aging apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein said compacting means comprises a tamping device intermittently moved into a receptacle in timed relation with movement of the conveyor whereby each stack is compacted prior to entering said filling station, said tamping device having depending means substantially vertically aligned with said rail for engaging the top envelope of the stack during movement of said tamping device into the receptacle.

14. Packaging apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein said compacting means comprises two separate compacting means adapted to be reciprocated together in synchronism with movement of the conveyor, for twice tamping each stack prior to entry into the carton fill station.

15. Packaging apparatus comprising a conveyor having means for mounting a spaced succession of stacks of envelope-type packages therealong, a carton filling station having a reciprocable pusher, means for disposing open cartons in succession at said station, means for intermittently moving said conveyor to dispose each said stack in succession at said station in alignment between the pusher and the carton at the station, and means periodically actuated in synchronism with said conveyor for compacting each stack to a lesser eifective height prior to moving it into the aligned carton, said compacting means comprising a vertically reciprocable pad having a depending rib for engaging the uppermost package of the stack along its rear upper side edge and a stationary rail extending alongside the conveyor beneath said reciprocable pad in substantially vertical alignment with said rib, said rail having its upper surface disposed at a higher level than the bottom of the associated stack.

16, Packaging apparatus comprising a conveyor having means for mounting a spaced succession of stacks of envelope-type packages therealong, a carton filling station having a reciprocable pusher, means for disposing open canons in succession at said station, means for intermittently moving said conveyor to dispose each said stack in succession at said station in alignment between the pusher and the carton at the station, and means periodically actuated in synchronism with said conveyor for compacting each stack to a lesser efi'ective height prior to moving it into the aligned carton, said compacting means reducing the effective height of said stack more along the front and rear side edges than intermediate said edges and comprising parallel stationary rails at opposite sides of the conveyor underlying the front and rear edges of the stack and a vertically reciprocable pad having depending front and rear side edge ribs vertically aligned with said rails.

I t i i i 

1. Packaging apparatus of the type wherein a vertical stack of envelope-type packages is aligned with the open end of a carton and the stack is thrust as a unit into the carton, each package having a sealed periphery, characterized by means for reducing the effective height of the stack and bending the sealed peripheries of the top and bottom envelopes at the edges that first enter the carton toward each other prior to the stack being thrust into the carton.
 2. Packaging apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said stack is disposed in an open top receptacle and said height reducing means comprises a reciprocable tamping pad adapted to descend into the open top of the receptacle, characterized by means raised above the bottom of said receptacle at the side of said receptacle adjacent said open end of the carton and cooperating means projecting downwardly from said pad for bending the edges of said top and bottom envelopes toward each other upon descent of the tamping pad.
 3. Packaging apparatus comprising a conveyor having means for mounting a spaced succession of stacks of envelope-type packages therealong, each package having a sealed periphery, a carton filling station having a reciprocable pusher, means for disposing open cartons in succession at said station, means for intermittently moving said conveyor to dispose each said stack in succession at said station in alignment between the pusher and the carton at the station, and means periodically actuated in synchronism with said conveyor for compacting each stack to a lesser effective height and bending the peripheries of the top and bottom envelopes at the front edges that first enter the carton toward each other prior to moving the stack into the carton filling station.
 4. Packaging apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein said compacting means comprises a tamping member adapted to be reciprocated between an upper inactive position while the conveyor is moving and a lower stack tamping position during a dwell period of the conveyor, raised means positioned to underlie the edge of the bottom envelope and depending means on the tamping member adapted to engage the edge of the top envelope.
 5. Packaging apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein said tamping movement of said member takes place during a carton fill operation of said pusher.
 6. Packaging apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein said compacting means comprises a vertically reciprocable pad having a depending rib for engaging and downwardly bending the uppermost package of the stack along its rear upper side edge.
 7. Packaging apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said means for reducing the effective height of the stack also includes means for at the same time bending the sealed peripheries of the top and bottom envelopes toward each other at the edges that last enter the carton.
 8. Packaging apparatus comprising a conveyor having means for mounting a spaced succession of stacks of envelope-type packages therealong, a carton filling station, means for disposing open cartons in succession at said station, means for intermittently moving said conveyor to dispose each said stack in succession at said station in alignment with a carton at the station, means at said station for displacing a stack from the conveyor into an aligned carton, and means perioDically actuated in synchronism with movement of said conveyor for compacting each stack to a lesser effective height to facilitate entry into a carton comprising cooperating members relatively movable toward each other in a direction normal to conveyor movement for engaging the top and bottom envelopes at the front edges that first enter the carton for bending said edges toward each other prior to moving the stack into an aligned carton, said members being oppositely relatively moved before the stack is displaced into the carton.
 9. Packaging apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein said means for reducing the effective height of the stack also includes means for at the same time bending the sealed peripheries of the top and bottom envelopes toward each other at the edges that last enter the carton.
 10. Packaging apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein said tamping member is slidably mounted for vertical reciprocation, and an eccentric and crank mechanism is connected for controlled reciprocation of said member.
 11. Packaging apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein said member is a pad that has depending side edge ribs engaging opposite side edge regions of the stack during each compression stroke.
 12. Packaging apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein said stacks are mounted in open top open side receptacles along the conveyor and wherein said compacting means is disposed in a compacting station where a rail extends along and at a higher level than the compartment bottom for underlying and upwardly bending the edge of the bottom envelope at said compacting station.
 13. Packaging apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein said compacting means comprises a tamping device intermittently moved into a receptacle in timed relation with movement of the conveyor whereby each stack is compacted prior to entering said filling station, said tamping device having depending means substantially vertically aligned with said rail for engaging the top envelope of the stack during movement of said tamping device into the receptacle.
 14. Packaging apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein said compacting means comprises two separate compacting means adapted to be reciprocated together in synchronism with movement of the conveyor, for twice tamping each stack prior to entry into the carton fill station.
 15. Packaging apparatus comprising a conveyor having means for mounting a spaced succession of stacks of envelope-type packages therealong, a carton filling station having a reciprocable pusher, means for disposing open cartons in succession at said station, means for intermittently moving said conveyor to dispose each said stack in succession at said station in alignment between the pusher and the carton at the station, and means periodically actuated in synchronism with said conveyor for compacting each stack to a lesser effective height prior to moving it into the aligned carton, said compacting means comprising a vertically reciprocable pad having a depending rib for engaging the uppermost package of the stack along its rear upper side edge and a stationary rail extending alongside the conveyor beneath said reciprocable pad in substantially vertical alignment with said rib, said rail having its upper surface disposed at a higher level than the bottom of the associated stack. 16, Packaging apparatus comprising a conveyor having means for mounting a spaced succession of stacks of envelope-type packages therealong, a carton filling station having a reciprocable pusher, means for disposing open cartons in succession at said station, means for intermittently moving said conveyor to dispose each said stack in succession at said station in alignment between the pusher and the carton at the station, and means periodically actuated in synchronism with said conveyor for compacting each stack to a lesser effective height prior to moving it into the aligned carton, said compacting means reducing the effective height of said stack more along the front and rear side edges than intermediate saId edges and comprising parallel stationary rails at opposite sides of the conveyor underlying the front and rear edges of the stack and a vertically reciprocable pad having depending front and rear side edge ribs vertically aligned with said rails. 